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With State of Origin 2014 is done and dusted, the representative focus shifts to who will be selected for the Kangaroos’ end-of-season tournament.
With the Blues’ first series win since 2005, experts and journalists are declaring that the team should be dominated by the 2014 victors, despite the proven success at both Origin and Test level of Queensland’s veterans.
The fullback spot is sorted with Billy Slater, as is the halves pairing of Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk. Cameron Smith will be hooker and captain, while one centre position is Greg Inglis’.
Brett Morris assured a wing spot, provided he gets back from his injury and finds decent club form, while Darius Boyd holds the record for the most tries in Origin history, alongside Inglis, putting him on the other flank. Suggestions that Josh Dugan should fill Boyd’s spot are pretty outlandish considering the Dragon has little experience in that position.
Partnering Inglis in the centres is a tricky one. Josh Morris is the incumbent from the trans-Tasman Test earlier in the year, but injury has not allowed him to get any decent game time. In saying that, Tim Sheens is loyal and if Morris is right and showing any sign of form, he’ll be chosen. The other obvious choice is Jarryd Hayne, who along with Paul Gallen won the Origin series for New South Wales. Hayne has had success in this position.
Gallen is a shoe-in for one of the prop spots. The same should be said for Nate Myles, who had an outstanding series for the Maroons and has been in great form for the Titans. Aaron Woods is an up-and-comer, and his time will come, but for now, I see him on the bench.
Greg Bird, Sam Thaiday and Corey Parker should round out the forward pack, but Beau Scott has certainly put his hand up for consideration with an inspiring series for the Blues, mainly with his courageous defence, which was a huge reason for their success. Thaiday and Scott will battle it out for the final spot in the second row.
Now for the interchange. For a utility, it’s a two-horse race between Robbie Farah and Daly Cherry-Evans. But given DCE provides more variety and can play a number of positions, he should get the nod ahead of Farah, who was poor in Game 3.
Ryan Hoffman was voted as the players’ player in Game 2 for the Blues and is an absolute workhorse, so he should get a spot on the bench. Boyd Cordner played in the trans-Tasman Test and was solid, as well as looking very threatening in Game 3, so should see him retain his spot.
My Test team
1. Billy Slater
2. Brett Morris
3. Greg Inglis
4. Jarryd Hayne
5. Darius Boyd
6. Johnathan Thurston
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Paul Gallen
9. Cameron Smith
10. Nate Myles
11. Sam Thaiday
12 Corey Parker
13. Greg Bird
Interchange
14. Daly Cherry-Evans
15. Aaron Woods
16. Beau Scott
17. Boyd Cordner
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